Dove Season

Legband · Post by **Legband** » Wed Jul 31, 2013 7:36 pm

We have had multiple hatches this year and the dove numbers are way up here in California's Central Valley
We are looking at what I believe will be a good Dove season thIs year.
How about you guys?
Also does every state kick off sept 1 ?

fishvik · Post by **fishvik** » Thu Aug 01, 2013 7:12 am

Utah opens on Sept. 2 because Sept. 1 is on a Sunday this year and the State doesn't want anyone to have an advantage that doesn't go to church that day. Up here in Idaho we have had good hatches and I'll be out Sept. 1. Hey is CA getting invaded by introduced collared doves. We keep getting more and more each year up here . There is no closed season up here on the them but most of them live in town.

Legband · Post by **Legband** » Thu Aug 01, 2013 5:51 pm

Yes as a matter of fact they are getting thicker and thicker , everyone out here calls them Eurasian doves,
They don't seem to be competing the morning doves in fact they prefer hanging out around structures.
They don't count in our limit but you can't shoot them out of season.

Rmgariador · Post by **Rmgariador** » Thu Aug 01, 2013 6:26 pm

Legband, what do you have planned for opener?

jimbo&rooster · Post by **jimbo&rooster** » Thu Aug 01, 2013 8:36 pm

I anticipate Sept 1 more than I do any other day of the year. I don't know if it is a result of growing up in southern GA or what but the only year I missed a dove opener since I was 8 was the year I had to have 2 fingers put back on.

Jim

Legband · Post by **Legband** » Fri Aug 02, 2013 12:16 am

We have a big shoot for the opener I am blessed to have several large ranches that my buddies own our favorite one is 4400 acres and is a dove factory , I dug water holes every where I could and added gravel areas and food plots.
We have a big dove feed opening night for the family's it's a good time .

Rmgariador · Post by **Rmgariador** » Fri Aug 02, 2013 9:31 am

Sounds like a lot of fun!

Legband · Post by **Legband** » Fri Aug 02, 2013 6:30 pm

How about you rmgaridor and where about in chino do you hail from

Rmgariador · Post by **Rmgariador** » Fri Aug 02, 2013 7:01 pm

Nothing planned yet still looking for a good spot. Chino which is now card chino hills closer to the 71 freeway and Euclid.

Legband · Post by **Legband** » Fri Aug 02, 2013 8:12 pm

Ok I know roughy where you are , we had multiple hatches and the dove numbers are great, everywhere you go you see birds, are you seeing good numbers down south as well

CDN_Cocker · Post by **CDN_Cocker** » Sat Aug 03, 2013 8:54 am

This year we are having our first dove season here since 1954 I believe. Having never hunted doves, I am kind of curious about it however I don't think I would go out specifically hunting for doves... seems to me like it would just be something you shoot if you see one while hunting something else. They aren't very large, I'm sure they're fun to shoot but you must need an awful lot to be able to eat them.

Legband · Post by **Legband** » Sat Aug 03, 2013 10:01 am

You would be surprised Cocker
First of all dove has a very mild flavor you don't have to mask it with anything.
Next two to three birds will feed a person,?
Just breast them out into two halves, take a kabob stick, on one side put a dove breast wrapped in half a piece of bacon, a chunk of onion, a chunk pineapple ,Bell pepper, squash or zucchini , firm tomato , I have used apple the choices are endless, if you like you can use prawns in the mix and BBQ them on low heat when the bacon is done. so is the dove ( do not over cook any wild game).
Then serve them over a bed of rice, in a rush I pick up a container of Mexican rice from to taco wagon or white rice with a little soy sauce , man it's making me hungry now I can't wait .
And you can liven the hunt up I use my Browning .410 field grade O.U. To make it more challenging and my labs love it.
Take a nice lunch find a shady spot , did I say I can't wait , try it , my grandsons think its the best , even the tiny ones enjoy it .
In this life the Good Lord doesn't promise us a great number of seasons make the most of them my friend.

Joe Hendrex
Marsh Mutt Pro-Staff

Legband · Post by **Legband** » Sat Aug 03, 2013 10:09 am

Hers a pick of last years crew minus my grandson who took the pic

RoostersMom · Post by **RoostersMom** » Sat Aug 03, 2013 11:34 am

CDN_Cocker wrote:This year we are having our first dove season here since 1954 I believe. Having never hunted doves, I am kind of curious about it however I don't think I would go out specifically hunting for doves... seems to me like it would just be something you shoot if you see one while hunting something else. They aren't very large, I'm sure they're fun to shoot but you must need an awful lot to be able to eat them.

Don't miss out on doves. It is GREAT training for the spaniel/retriever. It simulates duck hunting very well - sitting quietly until released. It's really, really fun too. Find a harvested wheat field or better yet, a dove field (sunflowers or sunflower/millet). Set up early before sunrise - if birds are using the area, you'll have a ton of shooting. It really is a fun thing to do. Bring lots of water for the dog since it's generally hot. Doves are very tasty - though we mostly use ours as an appetizer (wrapped around jalapenos and then all wrapped in bacon) cooked on the grill.

birddog1968 · Post by **birddog1968** » Sat Aug 03, 2013 11:52 am

CDN_Cocker wrote:This year we are having our first dove season here since 1954 I believe. Having never hunted doves, I am kind of curious about it however I don't think I would go out specifically hunting for doves... seems to me like it would just be something you shoot if you see one while hunting something else. They aren't very large, I'm sure they're fun to shoot but you must need an awful lot to be able to eat them.

Go on a real dove hunt somewhere over managed fields and see if you still think that way......They are similar is size to quail so 2 or 3 per person makes a fine meal.

2dogs · Post by **2dogs** » Sat Aug 03, 2013 4:58 pm

Have 5 grain fields scouted out and three of them are thrashed already. Been noticing this week that instead of seeing doves in pairs I am seeing them in bunches of 6-8. Man I can't wait, I have a 1 year old GWP that this will be her first dove hunts. If it is anything like the past few years we will have our 2 limits in 30-40 minutes, fast and furious

CDN_Cocker · Post by **CDN_Cocker** » Sun Aug 04, 2013 1:58 pm

I may give it a go just to get some retrieving practice in for the pup. As for going to a managed dove field... not likely... We do not hunt doves here, this is our first season in over 50 years so more than likely there won't be a ton of people who even know its allowed. Now I just need to find #7 1/2s in steel. We have to use non-tox shot.

birddog1968 · Post by **birddog1968** » Sun Aug 04, 2013 2:42 pm

you should be able to find 7 1/2's.....least not hard to find that size steel here.

Dove love disturbed ground or burned ground too......Freshly tilled dirt or just bare earth directly next to a food source can be good shooting.

CDN_Cocker · Post by **CDN_Cocker** » Sun Aug 04, 2013 2:46 pm

I've only ever seen them in lead here. However I'm sure that will change in the next month before the season opens.

SpinoneIllinois · Post by **SpinoneIllinois** » Sun Aug 04, 2013 3:43 pm

It's also a great way to sharpen your shooting.
I've found that the best spots are right on the outskirts of towns, where they roost. We smack 'em as they fly out of town in the morning, and into town in the evening. A mojo-dove also works well -- it seems to draw the birds' attention away from you.

jimbo&rooster · Post by **jimbo&rooster** » Sun Aug 04, 2013 7:57 pm

we used to manage a 60acre strip pit for doves, we had 8 fields 2-3acers of sunflowers and it was nothing for us to shoot a 9-10 man limit (15ea) in an hour. We havnt managed that area since we got out of college but it still provides some good shooting.

I will say that I once read that the average persone shoots something like 8-12 rounds per dove. my personal best was roughly 33% one season.

Jim

Legband · Post by **Legband** » Wed Aug 07, 2013 9:03 pm

I have never kept track of my percentage. But over the past few years I have gone from 12g - 20 g - 28 g and last year I shot my .410 cal .
It makes it a little more challenging .

jarbo03 · Post by **jarbo03** » Wed Aug 07, 2013 9:37 pm

My best is a limit with 19 shots. My worst is, well, I don't want to talk about it, but I had to borrow many rounds after I ran out.

Troy08er · Post by **Troy08er** » Thu Aug 15, 2013 9:13 pm

It's looking good here.

SpinoneIllinois · Post by **SpinoneIllinois** » Fri Aug 16, 2013 10:21 am

I'm seeing a lot of birds, but I'm not sure where I'll hunt. Farmers got a late start due to a wet spring, so I don't know if there'll be any harvested fields available in two weeks. I might have to visit the public land.

gotpointers · Post by **gotpointers** » Fri Aug 16, 2013 1:13 pm

Here in NM it's looking really good but usually we end up with a cold spell and rains that end it earlier for us. I can imagine for most of you further north. Especially Canada. In past years my son has limited out without leaving our yard. And I'm a big fan of the Bacon and jalapeno wrapped dove on the grill. But now with the invasive collared dove and no limit and extended season we are able to remove the breast meat and hammer it flat with a meat mallet. Then garlic powder and flour after dipping in milk. Chicken fried dove steaks!!

gotpointers · Post by **gotpointers** » Fri Aug 16, 2013 1:13 pm

Here in NM it's looking really good but usually we end up with a cold spell and rains that end it earlier for us. I can imagine for most of you further north. Especially Canada. In past years my son has limited out without leaving our yard. And I'm a big fan of the Bacon and jalapeno wrapped dove on the grill. But now with the invasive collared dove and no limit and extended season we are able to remove the breast meat and hammer it flat with a meat mallet. Then garlic powder and flour after dipping in milk. Chicken fried dove steaks!!

Legband · Post by **Legband** » Sun Aug 18, 2013 8:56 pm

I do the same thing with the doves only I use a cream cheese stuffed peppercini , I always over cook , but with the bacon on the outside I watch the bacon when it's done I know my dove is done and it removes the over cooking problem , man I'm getting hungry just thinking about them

Legband · Post by **Legband** » Mon Aug 19, 2013 11:22 pm

Doves are starting to group up , numbers even look better than I thought 12days and 8 hours to go

akardos · Post by **akardos** » Thu Aug 22, 2013 4:05 am

Hello everybody ..
I am new member, from GR...and fanatic hunter.
Here, the dove season is ON from 20 Aug...
Doves not so much, but in the opening day, i caught, the daily limit, 12 birds...

I wish you, good hunts.

displaced_texan · Post by **displaced_texan** » Thu Aug 22, 2013 8:46 pm

Legband wrote:Doves are starting to group up , numbers even look better than I thought 12days and 8 hours to go

Me and 8 of my closest friends are making our annual camping trip out to Western Oklahoma to dove hunt for 3 days...

Legband · Post by **Legband** » Fri Aug 23, 2013 10:56 pm

Me and 8 of my closest friends are making our annual camping trip out to Western Oklahoma to dove hunt for 3 days...

Do you make this trip annually or is this your first time?

displaced_texan · Post by **displaced_texan** » Sat Aug 24, 2013 9:37 pm

Legband wrote:
Me and 8 of my closest friends are making our annual camping trip out to Western Oklahoma to dove hunt for 3 days...
Do you make this trip annually or is this your first time?

This will be out 9th year doing it.

akardos · Post by **akardos** » Mon Aug 26, 2013 1:45 pm

The dove hunting is going on with good results...

and i hope in even better days..

Legband · Post by **Legband** » Mon Aug 26, 2013 9:36 pm

129 hours to go for the opener , not that I'm excited

fishvik · Post by **fishvik** » Tue Aug 27, 2013 6:57 am

We've had about 4 days of thunderstorms and wind here in SE Idaho. Riding my bike out into the farmlands I'm only seeing a few less doves. The temperatures have remained in the 50's and 60's at night so I think they have just hunkered in and have not left the country. Usually it takes cold nights, 30's and 40's, to really move them. Friday our forest grouse season starts so I'll have two days of that before we start shooting doves. My dogs know it is that time of year.

Legband · Post by **Legband** » Tue Aug 27, 2013 7:10 am

fishvik wrote:We've had about 4 days of thunderstorms and wind here in SE Idaho. Riding my bike out into the farmlands I'm only seeing a few less doves. The temperatures have remained in the 50's and 60's at night so I think they have just hunkered in and have not left the country. Usually it takes cold nights, 30's and 40's, to really move them. Friday our forest grouse season starts so I'll have two days of that before we start shooting doves. My dogs know it is that time of year.

Two days of grouse and then dove sounds like a fine start. Have fun!

fishvik · Post by **fishvik** » Wed Aug 28, 2013 5:56 pm

Legband wrote:Two days of grouse and then dove sounds like a fine start. Have fun!

Thanks, I hope to and good luck on Sunday.

Hickboyaf · Post by **Hickboyaf** » Wed Aug 28, 2013 6:45 pm

We are super pumped but not so ready for the opener. Sunday we busted some clays, which went very well for some of us, others may have a long season to tighten it up. Then went out to check the spot we hunt. It was gated and locked up tighter then most of our dogs on point! It's been a fun looking for a new spot but time is quickly passing and we have no idea where will be packed with other hunters. This is not good lol. But we are loaded for bear and excited to cock the hammer and make it rain. Happy hunting all. Excited for pictures!

Legband · Post by **Legband** » Fri Aug 30, 2013 6:23 am

Well I'm off to make one last trip to scout our spots to see which one is holding the most dove 24 hours to go.
The opener is a fairly easy decision but with each subsequent day it be comes harder and harder as the the little guys flee to areas with less gun fire .
We open for 10 days close and then reopen in late nov for appox a month,
The late season has far less pressure because both upland (quail and pheasant ) and waterfowl seasons are open.

jarbo03 · Post by **jarbo03** » Fri Aug 30, 2013 6:37 am

Good luck. I'll be making my way to central KS this evening, spend tomorrow scouting, should be good hunting.

displaced_texan · Post by **displaced_texan** » Fri Aug 30, 2013 11:19 pm

We've got a field picked out for the opener.

RoostersMom · Post by **RoostersMom** » Sat Aug 31, 2013 1:29 pm

Fishvik:

You're killing me. It has been in the high 90's with not much nighttime relief (high 70's) for the past week. Ugly today and tomorrow here for our opener as well. The youth we're mentoring this year are meeting tonight for a clinic - it should be a good time!

Hope everyone has a safe dove opener! Share them pics.

SetterNut · Post by **SetterNut** » Sat Aug 31, 2013 8:54 pm

Hope you guys have some luck.
We went and scouted around my place. Don't know what happened, but the doves were not there. We were seeing hundreds on the road, wire and flying around 2 weeks ago. Today we saw 4

Legband · Post by **Legband** » Sat Aug 31, 2013 9:59 pm

SetterNut wrote:Hope you guys have some luck.
We went and scouted around my place. Don't know what happened, but the doves were not there. We were seeing hundreds on the road, wire and flying around 2 weeks ago. Today we saw 4

One of our ranches that was loaded is barren as well , fortunately we have another that's holding
I hope the best for all you guys be sure to take some pictures of the birds , the dogs and the crew,

birddog1968 · Post by **birddog1968** » Sun Sep 01, 2013 1:27 pm

All it takes is one storm, folks chopping corn for silage or a sunflower patch somewhere coming ready.....

2dogs · Post by **2dogs** » Sun Sep 01, 2013 7:20 pm

They were all over us this morning. Shot my limit of 10 within 35 minutes. Sure like those spinning wing decoys. How did everyone else do?

Legband · Post by **Legband** » Sun Sep 01, 2013 9:15 pm

Opening Morning was Great , we had a good flight , and the dog work was beautiful, we were all done by 8:30 and on our way to church.
We ended up limits for every body, but trying to get everybody in a single photo was harder than getting your Dog to smile.

SpinoneIllinois · Post by **SpinoneIllinois** » Sun Sep 01, 2013 10:38 pm

We got only three this evening, but the hound retrieved each one from a thick treeline. I'd never have found them otherwise.

Legband · Post by **Legband** » Sun Sep 01, 2013 11:27 pm

Is that a griffon in the pic?